The present invention is directed to methods and devices for removing obstructions from blood vessels. The device may be used to retrieve and remove clots and other biological obstructions. The device may also be used to retrieve embolic coils and the like which have been misplaced or have migrated to an undesirable location.
One such obstruction removal device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,398 which is hereby incorporated by reference. The device has an expandable engaging member which is introduced into the blood vessel to engage the obstruction for removal.
The present invention is also directed to devices, systems and methods which use an expandable capture element when removing obstructions from a blood vessel. One such system for removing obstructions in a blood vessel is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,415 to Guenther et al. The system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,415 has a balloon catheter and a catheter having an expandable tip which receives the obstruction. The balloon catheter is passed through the obstruction while the balloon is deflated. The balloon is then inflated and the tip of the catheter is expanded. The balloon is then moved proximally so that the obstruction is pulled into the expanded tip of the catheter. A problem with the system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,415 is that the interaction between the balloon catheter and the leading edge of the catheter may tend to shear off portions of the obstruction. This can cause obvious problems when working in sensitive vascular areas.
The present invention is directed to additional devices and methods for removing obstructions in a blood vessel.
In accordance with the present invention, device and methods for removing obstructions are provided. In a first aspect of the invention, an obstruction removal device is provided which has an obstruction engaging element extending from an insertion element. The engaging element is movable from a collapse position to an expanded position. The engaging element forms coils having varying diameter wherein the coils at a distal portion are larger than coils at an intermediate portion. The distal portion forms a relatively closed structure which prevents the obstruction, or any part thereof, from migrating downstream. The distal portion is expanded distal to the obstruction while the proximal portion engages and holds the obstruction.
In another aspect of the present invention, another obstruction removal device is provided which has at least one closed loop and preferably two closed loops. The closed loop provides an advantage when advanced through a catheter or sheath in that the closed loop produces opposing radial forces on the catheter or sheath through which the loop is advanced. In this manner, the obstruction removal device can be advanced more easily through the catheter or sheath to prevent binding or kinking of the device during advancement. In a preferred embodiment, the obstruction removal device has two loops of varying diameter with the distal loop having a larger diameter. Each of the loops lie in a plane with the planes of the two loops preferably being perpendicular to one another.
In another aspect of the invention, another obstruction removal device is provided which has wound sections formed by one or more filaments which are separated by sections substantially free of the filaments. The intermittent wound sections provide discrete portions where the obstruction can be engaged. In an embodiment, the wound sections can slide on the core element to provide flexibility when advancing the obstruction removal device. The wound sections and sections free of filament are preferably about 1-5 mm long. The obstruction removal device preferably has at least three wound sections and more preferably at least five wound sections.
In still another aspect of the invention, another obstruction removal device is provided which has alternating large and small diameter portions. In a preferred embodiment, the obstruction removal device has at least four large diameter sections and three smaller diameter portions. The alternating large and small diameter portions may help to engage certain types of obstructions and can also help to prevent parts of the obstruction from breaking off and migrating downstream.
Any of the obstruction removal devices described herein may also be used with a source of power coupled to the obstruction removal device for use as described below. The source of power may simply produce a positive or negative charge or may be an RF energy source. The source of power may be used to help the obstruction removal device penetrate and engage the obstruction and may also be used to adhere the obstruction to the obstruction removal device as will be described. In a preferred embodiment, a negative charge is provided when advancing the obstruction removal device into the obstruction and a positive charge, or RF energy, is supplied to adhere the device to the obstruction.
The devices of the present invention may be manufactured in any suitable manner. In another aspect of the present invention, the obstruction removal device has a core element surrounded by a sheath. A strand, preferably about four strands, are positioned between the core element and the tube. The strand and the tube prevent any part of the obstruction removal device from breaking free should the core element fail. The strand and tube will hold the obstruction removal device together even if the core element breaks. The sheath is preferably flexible so that the sheath can undergo much larger deflections than the core element.
The obstruction removal devices of the present invention may also be advanced through a guide catheter having a flow restricting element which is preferably a balloon but may be any other suitable structure. The flow restricting element is expanded to reduce blood flow through the obstructed vessel to minimize the likelihood that the obstruction will migrate downstream.
In another aspect of the invention, a system is provided which has an expandable capture element and an obstruction engaging device which together work to remove an obstruction from a blood vessel. The capture element is advanced through the patient in a collapsed position and is expanded when at the desired location. The obstruction engaging device preferably has one or more filaments which provide a relatively flexible interaction between the engaging device and the capture element. This provides advantages over the use of a balloon catheter as described in greater detail below. The obstruction engaging device preferably has 1-4 filaments and more preferably 1-2 filaments. Of course, the obstruction engaging device may have more filaments without departing from various aspects of the invention and, in fact, the device may form a filter which further helps to prevent portions of the obstruction from being carried downstream.
The capture element is preferably naturally biased toward the expanded position although the capture element may also be manually actuated as described below.
The capture element has a support structure with a flexible cover attached thereto. The support structure preferably has a closed loop which opens the distal end of the cover. The loop is preferably integrally formed and has a number of integrally formed hinges which deflect when the loop is expanded and collapsed. The hinges are preferably V-shaped although other shapes may be used. A plurality of struts extend proximally from the loop.
The capture element may also be expanded by the user so that the user may select the appropriate time for expansion of the capture element. In this manner, the user may advance the capture element to a suitable location for expansion. The user may also collapse the capture element before withdrawing the capture element into a catheter. The capture element has an actuator for opening and closing the capture element. The actuator may have a control arm and a stable arm although any suitable actuator may be used. The control arm is manipulated to expand and contract a loop at the distal end of the capture element. Alternatively, the actuator may be a tube which cinches the loop closed. In a specific embodiment, the capture element may also evert when moving to the expanded position.
The device of the present invention may be used in various different locations and for various different purposes. In one embodiment, the device may be used in connection with a guide catheter. When used with the guide catheter, the device may be expanded to slow or even stop blood flow when performing other procedures downstream of the guide catheter such as removing a clot or placing a stent.
Alternatively, the device may be passed through a conventional guide catheter so that the device may be introduced further into the vasculature. In this system, the capture element passes through the guide catheter. The obstruction engaging device is then used to engage the obstruction and move the obstruction into the capture element.
These and other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.